Call for pedestrian crossing to facilitate students of St Pat's

The dangers facing students crossing the old Kells Road, Navan, was highlighted at a meeting of Navan Municipal District Council last week, when Cllr Tommy Reilly called for the provision of a pedestrian crossing.

He proposed the council should install a pedestrian crossing at Abbeylands South near the Kells road roundabout to facilitate students of St Patrick’s Classical School.

“Parents have contacted me about this, because it is very serious there,” he said. “We have young people coming from the school and coming into town from north Navan trying to cross the road and it is very dangerous.

“When are we going to have a pedestrian crossing there? It is very busy with both cars and pedestrians,” he said.

He was told pedestrian crossing facilities would be considered at that location, as part of the provision of the new distributor road from Windtown, which will meeting the Kells road in that location.

That project is currently at the detailed design stage. It will include a new bridge over the Blackwater and is expected to go to tender next year.

The distributor road, which is expected to alleviate traffic congestion in north Navan will encroach on Blackwater Park, shaving two hectares off the edge of the amenity and will continue through the site of the former Agriculture Department offices to the existing roundabout on the Kells Road.

A call for the provision of a “wheelchair swing” at Blackwater Park in Navan was also made by Cllr Reilly.

He called on the council to erect a wheelchair swing that children with disabilities can use and enjoy in the playground at Blackwater Park.

“There is one of these swings in Trim and I know of two families in Navan who travel to Trim to use it.

Cllr Reilly was told there are limited funding schemes available for the development or refurbishment of playgrounds.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth provide limited funding for playground development or refurbishment under the Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation. The maximum available grant is €18,000 and is restricted to one location.

He was told the playground in Blackwater Park will be assessed to determine whether there is sufficient space to install a wheelchair swing and, if there is, the proposal will be considered for the 2023 Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation.